Derek Hough: Lil’ Kim ‘Will Surprise a Lot of People’

Is Lil' Kim one to watch in this season's Dancing with The Stars? Her dance partner seems to think so.

In a blog entry dated Wednesday, Derek Hough, who nabbed last season's mirror-ball trophy with partner, TV personality Brooke Burke, had nothing but compliments for the hip-hop star. "I'm in New York City at the moment, training up my new partner for this season of DWTS, none other than the wonderful Lil Kim," he writes. "I'm happy to say that she has surpassed my expectations so far and I think she will surprise a lot of ."

Hough, who's spending his down time seeing shows in the Big Apple, is enjoying showing Lil' Kim the ropes. "I love working with her," he writes. "She is so unbelievably nice and intuitive. She has been a great student." --Steve Helling